A novel safety assessment strategy applied to non-selective extracts

A main challenge in food safety research is to demonstrate that processing of foodstuffs does not lead to the formation of substances for which the safety upon consumption might be questioned. This is especially so since food is a complex matrix in which the analytical detection of substances, and consequent risk assessment thereof, is difficult...

A novel safety assessment strategy for non-intentionally added substances (NIAS) in carton food contact materials

One of the main challenges in food contact materials research is to prove that the presence of non-intentionally added substances (NIAS) is not a safety issue. Migration extracts may contain many unknown substances present at low concentrations. It is difficult and time-consuming to identify all these potential NIAS and concurrently to assess...

Cross-validation and refinement of the Stoffenmanager as a first tier exposure assessment tool for REACH

Objectives: For regulatory risk assessment under REACH a tiered approach is proposed in which the first tier models should provide a conservative exposure estimate that can discriminate between scenarios which are of concern and those which are not. The Stoffenmanager is mentioned as a first tier approach in the REACH guidance. In an attempt to...

Relative absorption and dermal loading of chemical substances: Consequences for risk assessment

Quantification of skin absorption is an essential step in reducing the uncertainty of dermal risk assessment. Data from literature indicate that the relative dermal absorption of substances is dependent on dermal loading. Therefore, an internal exposure calculated with absorption data determined at a dermal loading not comparable to the actual...

Classification of highly similar crude oils using data sets from comprehensive two-dimensional gas chromatography and multivariate techniques

Comprehensive two-dimensional gas chromatography (GC × GC) has proven to be an extremely powerful separation technique for the analysis of complex volatile mixtures. This separation power can be used to discriminate between highly similar samples. In this article we will describe the use of GC × GC for the discrimination of crude oils from...

An experimental study to investigate the feasibility to classify paints according to neurotoxicological risks: Occupational air requirement (OAR) and indoor use of alkyd paints

The concept of occupational air requirement (OAR), representing the quantity of air required to dilute the vapor concentration in the work environment resulting from 11 product to a concentration below the occupational exposure limit (OEL), was considered to have potential to discriminate between paints that can and cannot be used safely. The...

Toxicokinetics of the nerve agent (±)-VX in anesthetized and atropinized hairless guinea pigs and marmosets after intravenous and percutaneous administration

In continuation of our investigations on the toxicokinetics of the volatile nerve agents C(±)P(±)-soman and (±)-sarin, we now report on the toxicokinetics of the rather nonvolatile agent (±)-VX. A validated method was developed to determine blood levels of (±)-VX by means of achiral gas chromatography at blood levels ≥10 pg/ml. The ratio of the...

Theoretical and experimental investigation into the explosive boiling potential of thermally stratified liquid-liquid systems

The occurrence of a rapid phase transition, or so-called explosive boiling, when a cold volatile liquid comes into contact with a hot liquid or hot surface is a potential hazard in industry. This study was focused on the explosive boiling potential of thermally stratified liquid-liquid systems that result from a runaway reaction. The...

Percutaneous penetration studies for risk assessment

During the last few years the general interest in the percutaneous absorption of chemicals has increased. It is generally accepted that there is very few reliable quantitative and qualitative data on dermal exposure to chemicals in the general population and in occupationally exposed workers. In order to predict the systemic risk of dermally...

Assessment of dermal exposure during airless spray painting using a quantitative visualisation technique

The range of dermal exposure to non-volatile compounds during spray painting was studied in a semi-experimental study involving three enterprises and 12 painters. A fluorescent tracer was added to the paint and deposition of the tracer on clothing and uncovered parts of the skin was assessed using video imaging and processing techniques. A...